Letters to the Editor 11/9

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• Letters to the Editor 10/17

  Letters to the Editor 10/17

  Working toward safety

  One year ago, mother and psychiatric technician Donna Gross was murdered on the job at Napa State Hospital. On Sunday, Oct. 23, workers at Atascadero State Hospital will hold a vigil honoring her and commemorating the first anniversary of her death. Members of the community are invited to attend this event, taking place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the hospital’s entrance. Simultaneous vigils will occur at all state hospitals and developmental centers across the state.

  Donna’s murder sparked a statewide movement for improved living and working conditions for patients and staff at California’s state hospitals — the Safety Now Coalition. A recent study based on Department of Mental Health and Cal-OSHA records shows that assaults on psychiatric technicians rose by 30 percent and on registered nurses by 52 percent between 2005 and 2009. In the past five years, attacks on staff have doubled at ASH.

• Q&A: Make life insurance a premium consideration

  Q&A: Make life insurance a premium consideration

  Buying life insurance isn't a sexy purchase, but it's fundamental to financial planning. That's why it's alarming that ownership of policies in the U.S. is at a 50-year low.

• Letters to the Editor 10/12

  Letters to the Editor 10/12

  Tune in to truth ­ What is happening in Manhattan with the Wall Street demonstrations is a learning center. People are coming together and forming discussion groups and classes. If you are watching what is actually going on (Democracy Now.org, ReaderSupportedNews.org, etc.), you see the young people with the doctors, professors, economists, journalists, students, writers, musicians, union workers in all jobs, middle-aged and elder citizens, street people, and blue- and white-collar workers becoming educated together.

  They are criticized for not knowing everything from the start, but that is a ludicrous criticism. They know that something is wrong and that people in power have no intention of fixing it. We the people have to do it.

  The right wing is trying, in their usual frenzy, to say this is a riot of the fringe and is like various revolutions in history, but they don’t mention the obvious one. This movement is most like the American Revolution and the period where a young country worked to try

• Letters to the Editor 1/8

  Letters to the Editor 1/8

  Resolve to improve

  In memory of my son, officer Rich May — a SLO High School graduate and Lompoc police officer who was killed on duty in East Palo Alto on Jan. 7, 2006 — I’ve been inspired to review some new year’s resolutions. You know which ones: lose weight, exercise more, eat better, drink less, etc.

  Start this new year off better than you did a year ago. It’s easy — volunteer to help others! It is time to look at a resolution that you can successfully keep and actually helps you and your neighbors. Step forward and provide assistance for a disadvantaged young person in your community. Find a local nonprofit organization that provides assistance to youth in need, and give them a little personal help.

• Letters to the Editor, Nov. 6

  Letters to the Editor, Nov. 6

  People’s agenda is simple

  I’m sick and tired of listening to what the media and politicians are feeding us. “We the people,” the 99 percent, have our own agenda and it’s really basic:

  1. Housing: fair and affordable (mortgages and rents);